


Written in Stone

by The_Evil_Critic_From_Hell



Series: "Written In" Series [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen, Mystery, Not for the faint of heart, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-24 16:08:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13814700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Evil_Critic_From_Hell/pseuds/The_Evil_Critic_From_Hell
Summary: Link moves to the small village of Kakariko where he learns that he shares his name with an ancient legend that foretells of a vicious demon that kills every one hundred years. Whether this legend is true or not, Link must solve the mystery before something terrible happens to those he has come to care for.... as well as himself. Modern AU.M for extreme violence. May get bumped up to Explicit.-I have been wanting to write this story for a long time. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I hope for those who do give it a try enjoy it greatly.





	1. Cornerstone

Link sipped his chocolate milkshake at the bar of the small diner, feeling his skin prickle at the many eyes that seemed to be watching him. He felt the cool, sweet goodness of his beverage slid down the back of his throat as he waited impatiently for his guide to arrive. His lips released the striped straw, allowing it to pop upright with a satisfying flourish, but he was unable to enjoy anything he was doing at he kept his gaze glued to the ticking clock on the wall. The tiny, red second hand moved in perfect synch, but to Link it felt slow and unsettling.

His muscles couldn't take it anymore. When the second hand hit twelve, bringing that Sunday morning to eleven twenty three, Link snapped around to peer at the people behind him. Upon doing so, about half of the people quickly turned back around to their own food. The remaining half shifted their eyes to some mysterious speck on the wall. A select few, however, kept their eyes locked on Link. Every person Link made eye contact with shot him a large, genuine smile. Link could only return with an uncomfortable half smile before turning back to his shake, staring down at the dark, creamy surface.

He knew this was a small town, but was it so small that even a newcomer like himself stuck out like a sore thumb?

Finally, the diner door open with a tinkle of a bell, and an older woman's voice rang out from the doorway. "Mr. Link?" the voice asked, deep and demanding. Link twirled in his barstool to see the owner of such a voice. She was tall and muscular, with long white hair pulled into a bun and heavy make-up plaster on her face. Her red eyes were fierce, and her jawline was strong and godlike. In short, she had presence.

The moment she saw his face Link could tell she knew who he was, and she gave him a beckoning wave. "I'm sorry for the delay. Please, come with me."

"Oh," Link realized, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolding it to read the name written on it. "You must be…"

"Impa," she cut off. "I don't mean to be rude, but we have a tight schedule to keep and we must get moving. Please gather your things and follow me."

"Of course!" Link answered with slight embarrassment. He pocketed the paper, then pulled out a five dollar bill. He quickly placed it on the counter, picked up his suitcase, and hustled after Impa. Satisfied that he was coming along, the imposing woman walked over to a small, black sedan sitting on the dirt road. She opened the passenger door for him, and as he took a seat she placed his suitcase into the trunk.

"Buckle up, please," she told him, closing the door behind her. Link did as he was told, and before long the two of them were cruising towards the town.

Link pressed his cheek against the cool glass, watching the trees pass by, hoping to get a glimpse of the town soon. He had tried to see it when his train had pulled into the small, abandoned station, but the forest was tall and thick, so he had seen nothing. He was surprised by how far Kakariko Village was from, well, anything, but then again he was a city boy. He was used to walking to the nearest coffee shop only two minutes from an apartment, or running to the grocery store down the street. If he wanted to go to the next town over, he would take a taxi on smooth, paved roads.

So far, there hasn't been a single road that wasn't gravel or dirt, and no coffee shop in sight. Though, none of this really bothered the young man in any way. He was used to those things, but he didn't thrive on them. However, he did prefer to blend into a crowd, and so far he hasn't had such luxury. It must be a really small town.

There was a long silence in the car. Like Link, Impa didn't seem to be much of a talker. Taking a break from town searching, Link dared to peek at his guide. She didn't look comfortable in her pantsuit, occasionally tugging at her sleeves or the bottom of her jacket, as if no matter what she did it wouldn't fit right. She looked professional and sharp, but she didn't seem to enjoy her outfit at all. Her finger tapped the steering wheel, her eyes on the road.

But her peripheral must have been fantastic, because the moment Link's eyes laid on her she tilted her head to her left slightly. "So," she suddenly said, "You seem like you have questions."

Instantly, Link snapped his head forward, feeling his cheeks grow hot. After a moment, he gave a nod. "I suppose I do. Erm…" He searched for the right words before asking. "… Where is the… town?"

"Town…" Impa echoed, then let loose a light chuckle. "It's more of a… village, hence its name." Even though that was obvious, Link still felt embarrassed again for his mistake. "Still," she continued, "It's not far. In a moment, we will come to a clearing that overlooks the village. We will pause there so you can see everything."

She words rung true. After another minute of silence, the trees cleared. Impa pulled up to the edge of the cliff and put the car into park. She indicated for Link to step out, and the both of them were soon standing at the edge themselves, viewing the village in the valley below.

Impa had not been kidding. It was not a town. From their height, Link was sure they could see everything, and everything consisted of a few 'large' buildings and a handful of what could only be homes. There was one main road, and it also appeared to be the only one paved. A creek ran along that road, and a small water wheel could be seen, turning slowly. A few fields were farmed and clearly ready for harvesting (Link could see the bright orange glow of pumpkins). The whole place appeared sleepy, calming, and beautiful, especially with the fall leaves starting to really change color.

Once Link had a moment to give the place a looksee, Impa began to point out various buildings of extreme importance. "That building with the sign over the door… that's the general store. That's where you buy everything, from food to toiletries. Over there is where your school is. Tomorrow you will start classes, but if you need an extra day to settle in, I'm sure the teacher won't mind." Link nodded to show that he was listening. "Over the stream there is the community center. And there are a few restaurants down there, but it would be difficult to point them out to you."

"How many people live here?" Link asked, still marveling at the small number of buildings.

"216 people," Impa replied. Her eyes looked Link up and down before correcting herself. "217."

Wow… that was… pretty exact. And tiny. Link watched the village for a bit longer, before spotting one more building, which was a distance from the rest of Kakariko and on higher ground. "What is that building over there?"

"That is the village temple," Impa replied, glancing at her watch. "It's currently closed to the public, but there is going to be a big festival soon and it should be open then."

 _Oh, she must mean Halloween. I wonder what religion they recognize here_ , Link thought to himself, but forgot to ask as he was suddenly ushered back to the car.

"We must get a move on. I have commitments this afternoon, and I must help you get settled into your new home."

Another ten minutes later, and Link found himself standing in front of his new home. It was a small house, although it appeared to have a second floor. There was a small yard in the front with some trees and flowers. But it was more than Link has ever had in his entire life, so he gaped at it while Impa removed his luggage from the car (she had insisted upon doing it for him).

Another few moments and they were inside. The house was clearly old. The wooden floor was dark with age and creaked with each step. The front door opened into one big room that acted as both a kitchen and a dining room. A table and a few chairs furnished the room; the rest of it was built into the walls. On his immediate right was a wooden staircase that leads to the second floor, which overlooked the room with a balcony. There was a small toilet and sink in a room off the kitchen, along with a shower.

"There's space below the stairs for storage, and cookware in the cabinets. The refrigerator is already stocked with food… You can cook, right?"

Link gave a vigorous nod. Oh yes, he can cook all right.

"Good. There is a dresser and a bed with sheets upstairs. You are free to rearrange and organize as you see fit. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask anyone. People are friendly here." Impa checked on her watch again, then clicked her tongue. "Alright, I think you can settle in from here. Tomorrow, someone will come and pick you up for school at exactly seven. School starts at seven thirty. There is no uniform for school but appropriate attire is expected. Lunch is not provided; the school is small and has no cafeteria. You may bring a lunch, or come home during the hour lunch break and make something here. But typically, kids here bring their lunches so they can mess around for the remainder of the hour."

Link's head was starting to spin with all this information, but he gave a quick nod to show he understood. "Thank you for the tour, Miss Impa. I appreciate it."

"Not at all. Now, I need to go. Get a good night's rest, and be ready to go in the morning."

Impa left, closing the door behind her. The moment the door clicked shut, Link raced upstairs and threw himself on the bed, sinking into the soft, fluffy mattress. Goodness, was this comfortable! He allowed himself to stay face down into his new pillow for a moment, before turning on his side and pulling his phone out of his pocket. Being so far out in the middle of nowhere, he had expected to have very little service… but he was utterly surprised that there were no bars at all.

Shit.

He did a quick search for wifi, but found nothing. Upon this discovery, Link leaped out of bed and ran downstairs. He threw open the front door, hoping to catch Impa before she left to ask her about the router in this house.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The black sedan was gone, and there was no Impa in sight. Sighing, Link closed the door. He knew that he could live without access to the outside world for a day or so; getting wifi wasn't entirely critical. He could go for a stroll and meet neighbors, but he had had a long day of travel and the milkshake hadn't been enough to hold him over until the morning. Just as he thought of this, his stomach let out a small rumble. He smiled. Well, he could start with lunch and then take a small nap.

Yeah, that sounded good. He was going to do that.

***

He was awoken by the sound of birds chirping and sunlight streaming into his window. Link blinked lazily as he squinted towards the window, forgetting briefly where he was. As the minutes passed, and his mind began to clear, Link remembered that he had just moved into his new home and that he was in Kakariko Village. He rolled onto his back and laid the back of his hand over his eyes, letting out a short sigh of comfort.

Link felt extremely refreshed. He must have slept hard after he ate a quick sandwich he had thrown together. Although he was fine with moving into a new place, he supposed the stress of going somewhere unknown had worn him down.

Well, at least he got a good nap in. He rolled back to his side and reached for his phone on the nightstand. He pulled it off its charger to check the time. He stared at the clock, blinking. He rubbed his eyes and checked again, making sure he read the time correctly.

6:28 A.M.

In shock, Link flipped out of bed, nearly dropping his phone as he did. Oh shit, he REALLY slept hard! He slept for over twelve hours… no, longer. He must have been exhausted, and now someone was coming to pick him up in thirty minutes! He still had to shower and make food…

Crap!

It is amazing what one can do in a panic, because Link nearly flew as he raced around his home, getting ready for school. He hadn't even unpacked his suitcase yet, so he practically threw stuff around the room digging for a decent outfit to wear. He settled on kakis with a green T-shirt and a blue jacket with a yellow triple triangle etched on the chest. He dressed after a shower, and patted his hair dry as he toasted some bread for a quick breakfast. He made sure that he was multi-tasking the whole time.

He was trying to shove a simple lunch into a small bag when someone knocked on the door. Link checked his phone again. 6:57, right on time. He shoved his feet into a pair of sneakers, threw his bag over his shoulder, and stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth before flinging the door open.

Standing at the door was the tallest boy Link had ever seen. Just taller than the doorframe, the young man gave Link a brilliant smile from his great height. He extended a large hand as soon as he saw Link. "Good morning, friend! I'm Sidon! Pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

Link could instantly tell that Sidon was outgoing and friendly. Link took his hand, but instantly wished he had prepared for the vigorous handshaking that he was about to receive. For a moment, it felt like his arm was about to rip off. Luckily, it only lasted a second before Sidon released his hand.

Sidon placed his hands on his hips, grinning. "Wow, I am so glad to meet you, Link! I was asked to take you to our school, since this is your first day. We better get going so we aren't late."

"You… know my name?" Link asked, giving his shoulder a quick roll to stretch it out.

"Of course!" Sidon exclaimed, as if it was obvious. Word must really travel fast in a small town, Link concluded. That, or Impa probably told Sidon his name while giving him instructions to pick him up. With that conclusion, of course it was obvious. Giving the tall young man a smile, Link stepped out, ready to go. He was looking forward to meeting everyone at school, and getting situated into a life in his new village.

As Link adjusted the backs of his shoes, Sidon reached over and closed the door gently. "Well, let's head out!"

School was on the other side of town… Not that it meant much. It was going to be a rather short walk and Link probably could have gotten himself there without assistance, but he was glad for the company.

***

Within a week, Link was starting to get used to life here. He went to the small schoolhouse that only had one room and five students, including himself. Since the town was so small and the school had only one classroom, school was reserved for high schoolers only; younger children were home schooled. So far, he has only met four of them. There was Sidon, the unspoken leader of the group. He and Link were among the oldest of the kids, both at about seventeen years of age. He was charismatic and charming. He always made everyone in the room feel good about themselves, and had a smile on his face nearly constantly. Link really liked him a lot, and the two became fast friends.

The other two students were both about fourteen years old, although they couldn't be more different from each other. First, there was Riju, the only girl that Link knew so far in the class. She was beautiful, with darker skin and bright red hair, tiny, and she was almost always barefoot. Despite her age, however, she spoke as if she was an old soul, quite mature. She always looked like she thought something was funny, but only she knew the joke. Whenever Sidon wasn't around, she would take charge, but she seemed happier when she didn't have to play leader.

Yunobo, on the other hand, was the remaining student, and he was nothing like his peer. He was large, both in height and width, and he always looked unsure and uncomfortable in every situation he was in. In fact, he was such a nervous wreck that when a bug scurried across the room the other day, he screeched and climbed on top of a desk for safety. While Sidon came to the rescue and removed the insect from the scene, Riju couldn't help but lightly tease the large boy. Link thought this didn't help the situation at all, but Yunobo didn't seem to hold any ill will towards Riju for it.

As for the fourth student, Link had yet to meet her. According to Sidon, the other female student, Zelda, was an important figure in town. "She's the heir to the Hyrule Family," Sidon explained during Link's first lunch at school, "And with a festival coming up, she has a lot of duties on her plate right now."

"Hyrule Family?" Link had asked, munching on his sandwich.

"They are an important family in town," Riju had answered. She had crossed her legs and stretched, glad for the lunch break. "So they kind of run everything, including the temple."

That was a week ago, and Link still hadn't seen her. This surprised him, especially considering the small size of the village. He would have thought he would have seen her walking around at the very least.

She must be very, very busy.

Despite all these, though, Link was enjoying himself in his new home. Life was pretty great here. Everyone was friendly and everyone always greeted him when they saw him. It was a change of pace from city life, although Link hadn't decided if it was for better or for worse.

Even though he knew how to get home, Sidon insisted on walking Link home every day. The pair only had about a ten minute walk, but it was a highly enjoyable one. Sidon was full of energy and good cheer, and he loved to talk. Luckily for him, Link loved to listen.

"Man, Mr. Teba really likes to give us seniors a lot of homework," Sidon said with a laugh. Holding the packet their teacher had given them at the end of the day, he leafed through the pages. "Luckily, this should be pretty simple. And you're so smart, I bet you will have it done in five minutes!"

Link gave a chuckle at Sidon's wild predictions. At first, whenever Sidon praised him, Link was embarrassed by the attention, but after a week he was starting to realize that was just the way Sidon was. Now it was amusing.

The road from school to home was a simple one, taking the only paved road in town. Since it cut through the epicenter of activity, Link and Sidon were often bombarded with greetings and well wishes. Even though there were only 216 other residents in the village, Link still hadn't learned all their names. Yet, everyone seemed to know his, just like Sidon had on his first day.

"Afternoon, Link!" a middle-aged man called out to him, waving from one of the few restaurants in town. He sat at one of the outdoor tables, enjoying a warm drink in the cool air. Link gave a polite wave in return, but his skin sort of prickled uncomfortably.

"Oh, if it isn't the handsome Link!" a particularly rambunctious elderly lady greeted them as they passed her by. "And his adorable friend Sidon! Ho-ho, if only I was a few years younger… Hee-hee!" she finished her teasing with a giggle. It took every ounce of strength Link had to not blush at the insinuation. Sidon took it much better and laughed with her.

"Well, she's always been a character!" Sidon mused. He walked a few paces before realizing that Link had paused, and turned to see him staring at the store. Link's finger tapped his book bag's strap as he contemplated about going inside.

Sidon, who towered over Link, leaned over his shoulder to join him in the stare-down with the building. The shopkeeper was busy and did not notice them, but Sidon knew by now what Link was thinking about when it came to this location. He gave a sympathetic smile and tapped Link's shoulder to get his attention. "Come on, Link! They said it was going to take a few weeks! Special orders never get here quickly."

"Sorry," Link said with a sigh, turning back to join Sidon home. "I just can't believe that there isn't a single router out here, not even for sale." People didn't even have phones with landlines to borrow. It was unusual.

"There's wifi at school," Sidon noted.

"I guess I just didn't realize that there were people in the world who still barely used technological advances like the internet," Link mumbled, before realizing how spoiled he sounded. He let out another sigh. "I'm sorry. I was hoping to keep in touch with people back in the city. The school wifi is terrible; I can barely hold a bar long enough to send a message" He pulled his phone out of his pocket to stare at it. The dark screen sensed the movement and the lock screen appeared. In the corner, the phone had a large X over the connection. "I don't even have service."

Sidon looked at the phone, then looked at Link. The boy's lips were tense; his eyes dark. Sidon patted Link's arm, snapping him out of it. "Don't you worry, friend! You got the new router ordered. I guess in the meantime, you will have to enjoy my company. I know, I know, the horror!"

Link looked back at him startled, before the dark feeling in his chest subsided. He snorted at the joke and tucked his phone away in his back pocket.

They said their goodbyes at a fork in the road. Sidon lived down a dirt path. Apparently, his house was near a pond, although Link hadn't had the chance yet to visit Sidon's home. Link briefly watched Sidon walk away, sort of smiling to himself. Sidon really brightened a room. But as soon as he left, Link felt a ping of loneliness. At this feeling, he pulled out his phone again. The screen lit up again, and that X was still there. He frowned.

It was starting to get difficult living without a connection to the outside world. It was beautiful here and people have been wonderful, but without even a string attached to a cup to the city, Link felt claustrophobic and small, and very cut off. Despite knowing that he would be able to connect to those he left behind soon, he felt like he would never talk to them again. It was a bit depressing.

As Link walked the rest of the way back to his little slice of heaven, he opened his phone. He was secretly hoping that a message would pop up, anything at all, but his notifications were completely nonexistent. He pursed his lips in frustration.

He should have been watching where he was going, because as he turned to walk up to his front door, he nearly tripped over someone who was sitting on the ground. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, barely able to catch himself before he hit the floor. He snapped around to get a good look at the stranger who was trespassing in his front yard.

It was some old man who looked like he mentally left this world a long time ago. He was so hammered that since Link was now paying attention, he could smell the liquor. Urg, how appalling. The man was equally not amused by suddenly woken up from his nap.

" 'EY! What's a man got to do around 'ere to get a decent shuteye… Eh?" he paused as he cracked open an eye, staring at Link. He saw the boy's large eyes and generally shocked impression. "What is it, boy? Ain't never seen an old person before?" He scratched his head. "Now that I thinks about it… I ain't never seen no boy like you around here."

In the same manner, Link had not seen this man before as well. He was scruffy and quite old, with an untamed beard full of sticks and leafs and an old robe that really needed to be washed. It didn't appear that this man was all there, and Link was currently alone with him. "U-um… what are you doing at my house?" Link asked, slowly starting to shuffle towards the front door to escape as quickly as possible. He didn't like the look in this man's eyes.

The man looked the house up and down. "Oh-ho, this ya house?" When Link nodded yes, the old man slapped his knee with glee. "Well I'll be!" He stood up, wobbled a bit, then leaned on the doorframe to support himself. He was now blocking Link's way. "Guess this be my lucky day! I was hoping to talk to ya!"

Shot, his escape plan was ruined. "I thought you said you had never seen me before," Link said carefully, eyeing the door with anticipation. The moment the man made room, Link was going to jump inside to safety.

"I ain't! But I'ves heard of ya. Ya be crazy if ya hadn't heard of ya," the man said, letting out a crackle of laughter.

"So I guess you aren't crazy then."

"Naw, I'm the sanest person in town!" The man patted his chest proudly. Link highly doubted this statement, but he did not openly rebut it. Having grown up surrounded by people like this, Link had a grasp on how to handle them, but the nervous feeling in his gut never went away with each encounter. The man continued to talk. "Anyways, I just gots to ask…" He suddenly leaned in closer. The foul stench of booze and something very rotten hit Link's nose, and it took much for him not to gag. He tried to lean away subtlety, but the man just leaned in closer. "… Have ya ever seen a demon before?"

Silence followed this question. Only a breeze made noise, rustling the fallen leaves on the browning grass. Link wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to react to this. Should he…. Laugh? Was this a joke? No, this man looked pretty dead serious. Should he… call for help? That seemed a lot more appropriate. Perhaps if he ran now, he could find Sidon. Or the police. Or anybody else.

Despite his better judgement, though, Link answered honestly anyways. "You know… I can't say that I have. Have you?"

This was a mistake. The man gave a nod. "Course I 'ave, boy! All of us in this here village has seen the monster with our own two lookers!" He said this as he pointed at his own eyes.

Now Link's interest was peeked. Despite how ludicrous the man's tale sounded, Link couldn't help but pointed towards the ground, indicating the whole town. "Here?"

"Yes, here, where did ya think?" The man grinned viciously. "We's got a demon living among us, boy. A vile, dangerous demon. It's going to kill us all, ya know. It will start with anyone who angers it. Then eat the rest when it's hungry."

Link felt the blood drain from his face, but the man failed to notice and kept talking. "But ya said ya never seen a demon before. Boy, that ain't going to fly. It's dangerous to go alone." He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife. He grabbed Link's wrist and pulled his hand closer, forcing the blade into Link's hand. "Take this. This way, when you see that blasted demon, you can shove it into its chest. When ya kill it, remember ol' me, will ya? Would love if the higher ups hear of my good deeds. I ain't exactly an angel in town!" He released Link's hand as he let out another laugh. As he did, he leaned away from the door.

This was Link's chance. Without hesitation he threw open the door and ran inside. He pulled it shut and made sure to lock it. His heart pounded in his chest as he sat heavily in a chair, wondering if he did the right thing. That man knows where he lives now, and… Link looked down at the knife that was now in his hand. The man had been armed too.

When he had regained his composure, Link put the knife into a drawer. He had no use of it, and he didn't want to around. He would find a proper way to dispose of it later.

For now, his thoughts hung on those words of a crazy man, who claimed that a demon lived in town.


	2. Stonewalled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I have no idea why," Link said with a shrug. "And once again, someone knew my name. Weird. I know it's a small village, but do people really talk about me that much?"
> 
> Both Riju and Yunobo looked surprised. "What?" Riju asked. "You don't know why? No one told you?"

It was Thursday and school had just ended. Mr. Teba, the only high school teacher in the entire village, had just finished giving out homework before he left for the evening. Link was packing up his bag when Riju was suddenly in his face. "Alright, stop that at once! We are going to have club time!"

Link paused, confused. He wasn't sure how to answer this command. "Um… club?" What club? By the size of the student body, Link had assumed after school activities were merely nonexistent.

Yunobo was shifting the desks around when he clarified on Riju's behalf. "Oh, it's not really a club. See, we just call it that, but it is just really the group playing D&D."

"You mean, Dungeons and Dragons?" Link asked.

"That's right!" Sidon exclaimed. Why did he look so proud that Link knew that? "It is how everyone hangs out. Normally, we would have asked you to join us last week when you first started school, but in our current game Zelda was our DM…. Dungeon Master," Sidon explained.

Ah. Yes, the missing student.

"Hmph. Well, she's busy now, so I finally got permission to continue the game on her behalf," Riju stated. "Which means this hiatus is over! Now, you can play too."

"Er… I would love to, but I don't know anything about DMs or…. Well, this game, period," Link replied.

"That's ok, we will help you. And besides, we have our own version of D&D, so it doesn't really matter if you have any past experiences or not," Sidon said with a smile.

The desks had been arranged into a small table, with each desk facing inward. Riju went into a small locker and produced a stack of papers. She rummaged through them until she found a blank sheet. She took a seat, pulled out a pencil, then leaned back. "Alright, boys, before we can start, we need to think of a good idea for Link's character."

Everyone took a seat, including Link, seeing that he wasn't really being given much of a choice in the matter. "Aren't I supposed to make up the character?"

"No. That's part of the fun, everyone else decides for you," Riju told him. "Don't worry, we will think of something fitting."

Sidon grinned. "It better be the coolest!" He gave Link a sparkling smile. "My character is a fish-humanoid! And I'm a prince!"

"Even though you protested, you are clearly prince material. Both Zelda and I agreed on this matter. And the Zora are a graceful race," Riju said, matter-of-fact. "And Yunobo is a Goron. Rock people," She explained, seeing Link's confused expression that had followed. "They are powerful and strong. I thought Yunobo could use a little bit of that in his life."

Yunobo looked down with bright red cheeks, but said nothing.

"What about your character?" Link asked the young girl.

"I'm a chief of a tribe of warrior women, the Gerudo."

Link found that oddly fitting. "So what character was Zelda?" He was mildly curious about this individual. Even after all this time, she still hasn't showed her face yet.

"Well, she  _was_  the human princess of a kingdom with some crazy powers, but since she isn't here, we will have to make something up about her character." Riju sighed, pressing the pencil's eraser into her cheek.

Suddenly, Yunobo clapped his hands together, his eyes sparkling. "Oh! What about we all wake up, and her character was kidnapped?" he suggested. "Then we have to go find her and rescue her?"

Her eraser still digging into her cheek, Riju closed her eyes to contemplate the suggestion. Sidon gave a nervous smile. "I'm not sure if Zelda would like the sounds of that…"

"Well, it could work," Riju interrupted, "It's simple and cliché, but sometimes those make the best scenarios. And it gives me an idea for Link." Without hesitation, she began to scribble something onto the sheet of paper.

"And what is that? Please don't make me anything exciting," Link begged. He honestly still wasn't sure about this whole 'roleplaying' thing to begin with. It was already feeling extremely complicated.

"Relax," Riju told Link, "You are going to be the adventurous hero from a foreign land, destined to save our precious Zelda."

"Oh, now that IS the coolest!" Sidon exclaimed.

Link scratched as his cheek, overwhelmed by their decision. "Can't I just be a simple goat farmer or stable hand?" Link asked. "In real life, I'm actually pretty good with horses."

The young girl gave a short laugh, finding his request adorable. "But this gives a good explanation as to why you suddenly show up. You arrive from nowhere, told of the poor, helpless princess, and decide to rescue her. Simple, but it will be fun."

Yunobo looked excited. "Oh! And he should have a really cool sword!"

Riju tapped the tip of her nose with her pencil and then pointed at him in agreement, jotting the notes down. Seeing that once again, he didn't have a choice, Link sighed again. "Alright. So what are we rescuing her from?"

Yunobo opened his mouth to give another suggestion, but Riju held up a hand to silence him. "This is now entering DM territory. I've already got something in mind, but now it's up to you, the heroes, to find out what."

Link was overwhelmed with all of this information. He was excited to be included in these activities, but he wasn't sure if he was a D&D type of person. He generally preferred the outdoors: swimming, climbing, horseback riding. But it was getting to chilly to swim and there weren't horses around here… So he guessed Dungeon and Dragons will have to do.

Seeing Link's general expression, Sidon gently elbowed him to get his attention. "Don't worry, we don't do this for long, and it really is a lot of fun. Trust me."

Link gave a relieved smile as Riju pulled out a pair of dice. "Alright. Let's begin."

***

"Man, I am BEAT!" Riju exclaimed, sipping hot cocoa. "Slaying monsters and adventuring is exhausting."

"B-but, we just sat at a desk," Yunobo stammered. "How can you be tired?"

"Have a little imagination, Yunobo," Riju said with a yawn.

The four teenagers had finished their game after an hour and had decided to go get a snack before returning home for the evening. Both Yunobo and Riju had ordered hot chocolates, while Sidon got some sort of fish sandwich. Link himself purchased a milkshake, but only sat there stirring the milky surface over and over again with his straw. He watched as the froth went around and around.

As far as he could tell about the game, they were in the middle of some field, trying to find clues as to where Zelda was. Yunobo seemed to be a cautious player, always double-guessing what he should be doing, while Sidon tended to play like an adult: playing the game fully but really enjoying the company of his friends more than the scenario itself. Riju seemed like she would be a confident player, but as DM she decided to pull her character from the story for now.

He supposed he could call it fun. However, the game was truly far from his mind. Instead, the events of yesterday still weighed heavy on his mind. That strange old man had really creeped him out; how could he just forget him? He barely even managed to fall asleep last night. The man had been gone the following morning, but he was a bit nervous to go back home. What if he returns? All that talk of demons was spooky. Crazy, yes, but still spooky. Plus, when he then handed him that knife…

He suddenly felt Sidon tapped his shoulder. "Hey Link! I'm going to go pay the bill, my treat. Wanna come with me?"

"Huh? Oh, sure," he mumbled, getting up from his chair. He followed Sidon to the cashier, a young woman whose gloom was practically tangible. That is, until she saw the two of them approach. Her attitude did a one-eighty as she was suddenly beaming. "Hello, Link! And you too, Sidon. Paying your bill?"

"Yup," Sidon answered, pulling out his wallet. "Let's see… One fish sandwich, two hot chocolates, and a milkshake, so that's…"

"Oh, the shake is on the house!" the woman exclaimed. "Just pay for the other three things."

Link raised an eyebrow. What? Why was his order free? But Sidon didn't question it. He simply paid the bill. While the woman ran to the back to replace the receipt machine with paper, the tall boy turned to Link. "So, what's on your mind?"

Startled, Link looked up at Sidon. "Pardon?"

"My friend, you've been out of it all day. If there's something troubling you, you can tell me anything."

Now that it was said out loud, Link did feel a bit compelled to tell Sidon about what happened last night. But, was it appropriate? He considered Sidon a friend but he wasn't sure if he was close enough to share his… feelings and problems yet.

However, Sidon has been nothing but kind and helpful to him and Link really liked him. And eating food really gets him to talk, even if he just stared down at his shake rather than drink it.

"Well, ye-"

"Here is your receipt!" the woman proclaimed upon her return, handing over the thin slip of paper. Link quickly quieted down, not wanting to talk in front of her. Recognizing the reason for his silence, Sidon took his receipt, thanked her, and led Link back to their friends. They came back to Riju teasing Yunobo with a straw she had just unwrapped, poking him in the face. Yunobo weakly protested but didn't really seem upset. She stopped when the boys took their seats again.

"You're back. Thanks for treating us, Sidon." She grinned as dropped the stripped straw onto the metal table. "Like a prince~"

"Nonsense," Sidon waved his hand in the air, as if he was waving the idea completely away. "It's something that as your senior, I should do from time to time."

"Well, you are going to spoil us rotten," Riju said. She pushed her chair back so the back rested on the wall and only two of the legs were still on the ground. When she did this, Yunobo looked a bit panicked but said nothing. Her drink was still in her hand, and she sipped it happily. "Although you should ask for a refund on Link's behalf. I don't think he liked his milkshake."

"Actually...It was strange, that woman gave me my milkshake for free. I have no idea why," Link said with a shrug. "And once again, someone knew my name. Weird. I know it's a small village, but do people really talk about me that much?"

Both Riju and Yunobo looked surprised. "What?" Riju asked. "You don't know why? No one told you?"

"Well, I can make a guess. I'm new and this is a small town. People talk."

The youngsters exchanged glances with each other. Riju lowered her chair fully back on the ground and set her cup down, her face intense. Link saw the looks, and furrowed his eyebrows. "What? What is it? I know it's a bit mighty of me to think that-"

"No, that's not it," Riju shook her head. "U-um… Well, it's just that…"

"Hey now," Sidon cut in. The other three looked at him as he pointed at his watch, tapping the hard glass surface. "We should get going! It's getting late and I would like to get home before dark." He stood up quickly; his seat scrapped against the tiled floor. He took one last bite of his sandwich. "Care to walk with me, Link?"

"Um..." Link peeked back towards Riju. Now it was her turn to stare down at her drink. Yunobo was wringing his hands together nervously. What had just happened? Link felt like he just missed something very important, but he agreed to go with Sidon and followed him out the door.

He stood next to Sidon as his friend took a deep breath of the fresh evening air. He was going to ask him just what had happened back there something else caught his eye. A group of men and women were carrying a bunch of materials down the street. They all smiled and waved at Link as they passed. Link waved back, but his attention was not on their pleasant greetings.

"What's going on there? What is all of that stuff for?"

"Hm? Oh," Sidon gave a small shrug. "It's for that festival at the temple. It must be about time to get the decorations up and running."

Oh right, Link hadn't thought much about this upcoming festival. It must be pretty important to the town, or at the very least to that girl Zelda Link has only heard about. He wondered what she had to do that prevented her from even showing up to school.

Which suddenly reminded him... "I forgot to ask, but I was curious-"

"Of course!" Sidon suddenly said, looking down at Link to beam at him expectantly. He truly had the largest smile Link had ever known a person to have. "You haven't really asked a whole lot since your arrival, so ask away!"

Link blinked, then cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I was curious about the temple and the local religion." He indicated with a small gesture towards the temple's direction. "Is it some sort of Shinto or Buddhist sect? I haven't heard a whole lot about it in general, and was wondering about the beliefs of everyone here-"

"What? That was your question?" Sidon interrupted again. He put an arm around Link and laughed loudly. "I didn't take you for the religious type! I guess I assumed all city people were non-religious or something."

Link was thrown off-guard completely now. What the hell was going on today? Sidon never interrupted anyone, ever. And now within the span of three minutes Sidon has done so three times. He looked over his shoulder to peek at Riju and Yunobo. The two of them were talking, huddled together so closely that Link couldn't see their faces. Link's skin prickled. He turned his attention back to Sidon.

Sidon looked so carefree and happy, though, that Link couldn't pinpoint what his friend was thinking. "I wouldn't worry about that, Link," Sidon continued. "It's just the area's old belief system and it's not really exciting. But people like traditions, so they just carry on for the food and fun. It's esoteric, honestly."

"Um…" Link looked at the ground before glancing back up as his friend. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't shake the words the crazy old man had said last night. Of course, the guy had been insane. There was no way there was really a demon; that was all just fairytales. And yet, something nagged at him. Link couldn't explain it but he suddenly had the urge to keep asking. Morbid curiosity, perhaps?

"I guess I'm just... well, there was this weird old man at my house yesterday. He's the reason why I'm restless today." Link gave a casual half shrug. "He was talking about a lot of really weird, creepy stuff. I guess he was off his rocker but it had been unsettling."

When Link went to smile at Sidon, he was met with an expression he had not known Sidon to have: grave. Sidon's grin was gone, replaced by a frown and furrowed eyebrows. His eyes were stone-cold. A chill went down Link's spine.

"An old man, huh? What did he say?" Sidon asked quietly. His arm was still around Link, although now it felt a little bit tighter.

What... what the hell was going on? Why was Sidon suddenly acting like this? Why was he being so intense? Any feeling of comfort Link had was now gone and was now completely spooked. "Sidon, why are you acting like this?"

But Sidon did not answer the question. "Link, what did he say?"

"I don't know, something about a demon..."

Sidon was silent for a moment, staring at Link as if he was checking to see if he was telling the truth. Just when Link was starting to think he was going to need to escape, Sidon removed his arm from Link's shoulder and let out a hearty laugh, his dire expression gone and his happy demeanor back.

"Do not worry about some silly old story, my friend!" he exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up. Another sudden transition. "I know who you are talking about. Don't worry about him. He's strange but harmless overall."

"But he-"

"You know what, my friend, I just realized I need to talk to Riju and Yunobo about something. You better get back home before it gets dark. No street lights here like they have in the city" Sidon gently pushed Link towards his house, making Link take a few steps forward. When he turned around to protest, Sidon was already at the glass door to the restaurant. "I'll see you tomorrow!" he called out to him with a wave, then quickly dashed inside.

Link stood there dumbfounded. He watched as Sidon rejoined the other two. Riju seemed to be pretty heated; her lips were moving a quickly as she said something to Sidon and her hands were very active. Link wondered if he should go inside and demand an explanation. He has never seen any one of them look like they did now, and he was frustrated that they were purposely leaving him in the dark about something.

But he decided against it. They probably wouldn't tell him even if he asked. So like Sidon suggested, Link returned home.

The sun had gone down by the time Link started to prepare dinner. Chicken and pasta, a simple yet delicious dinner. The meal came and went, but Link's mind was whirling with thoughts and questions. What the hell had happened today? Why had his new friends suddenly acted like that? It really seemed like they were keeping something from him... but what? What didn't he know? And why did Sidon get so strange about that old man?

Did it have to do something with the demon Link heard about?

He suddenly felt very, very alone. For the first time since he came to this village, Link felt very out of place. He missed home. He pulled out his phone and the screen blared at him. He flicked open the lock screen and stared at the connection symbol in the corner. Nothing. He was still disconnected from the rest of the globe. Damn it. Just when he needed someone, anyone, to talk to as well. He wasn't sure what he expected; it wasn't like he's had a connection out here at all except at the school...

The school! Of course! Maybe he could go there and connect to the wifi there. But was it even open? It was pretty late. Link sat at his kitchen table for a few minutes, before standing up and striding over to his front door. He turned the flashlight on his phone and began his trip to the school.

There were no streetlights either, so Link only had his phone and the moon to light his way. A few shops were still open, and and Link could see their owners were cleaning up for the night. As he passed they all stopped and stared at him, looking quite surprised to see him. He ignored them, not in the mood for their inquisitive natures. He walked briskly until he found himself at the schoolhouse.

The old wooden door slid open to the dark, empty classroom. Only the soft glow of the waxing moon illuminated the shadows. Link shone his phone's flashlight into the void. The metal from the desks caught the light and reflected it back dully. It was always strange going into a classroom when no one else was around. Like no one was supposed to be there.

The classroom had clearly been built some time ago, but the like Link's house had been renovated. Electricity had been installed. Link swiveled his phone around to the wall to look for the switch. A few checks up and down the wall later and it was located. Link reached to flip it, but paused with his finger gently hooked underneath the white, aging plastic.

Perhaps switching on the light wasn't a good idea. Although he hadn't been specifically told not to come here after hours, he was probably still trespassing. He didn't want to get in trouble, and turning on a light would only alert a bystander that someone was inside. He stood there as he considered his options, his finger still prepared to throw the switch up.

Finally, he withdrew his hand. Better not, he decided. Instead, he closed the door behind him and navigated his way to his usual desk. It was in the second row next to the farthest wall, right behind where Sidon sat and next to Riju's seat. The wood beneath his feet creaked with each step, making Link's hairs bristle and his skin crawl. In the quiet of the night, the floor sounded like a siren ringing in his ears. Relief only washed over him when he sat at his desk.

He wasn't sure how long he would be here, so he switched off his flashlight to save his phone's battery. The room quickly darkened further. Despite the moonlight, Link's eyes were practically blinded by the glow of his screen; anything dimmer failed to register. He attempted to resolve the issue by dimming the phone, but it was still quite bright.

Muscle memory guided him now. With a flick of a finger, he opened his messages, hoping to see anything new. Nothing. Not a peep from his old friends. Letting out a sigh, Link sank into his seat. His eyes wandered to the corner of the screen. That large X over the service bar was still there, and the wifi seemed to be struggling to stay connected. Link watched as it jumped up and down from one bar to no bars. It was nauseating to see that one bar show up for a brief second, only for it to vanish for a good length of time. It was teasing him, to be sure.

Despite the failure to connect, Link still opened up one of his contacts and began to type out another message. The other ones he had sent over the week appeared to have eventually gone through, but didn't seem to have been received yet. While upsetting, it didn't stop him either.

_Hey. Haven't heard from you in a while. Sorry, my connection is bad out here, so I can't seem to get messages out to you._

He paused, wondering what to say next.

_I hope to talk to you soon. I learned today that making new friends isn't always easy. I told you about Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo, right? I thought we were getting along great, but today I felt like they were keeping something from me._

Link placed an elbow on the desk and rested his cheek in his palm. He reread his message a few times before adding:

_I mean, I guess it's ok they have secrets. We've only known each other for a short time, and I assume those three grew up together. It's no wonder they are close. I felt like they were really including me, but maybe that will take time._

Another sigh. A soft breeze stirred up the leaves outside. Link glanced up to see some leaves flutter by.

_Well, at least it's beautiful here. Really beautiful. The trees are changing colors right now, and there are a lot of clear streams. People are generally friendly._

They really were. People were super nice here. In the city, people ignored you. You could have been part of the architecture for all they cared. But here? You mattered. Everyone knew you, before you even knew that.

Including...

_Speaking of people, there was this one weird guy that freaked me out yesterday. He didn't look like he was all there, but he said some really spooky stuff. Something about a demon living in town. Isn't that-_

**Creak**

Link's muscles instantly stiffened at the sound. His thumb still lingered over the "w" key. The unexpected sound had thrown his body into a flight-or-fight response, and he found that he was unable to move. Goosebumps rose on his skin.

**Thud.**

Now Link's body released him, and he whipped around in his chair to stare in the direction of the sound's source. It was coming from outside. But the afterimage from his screen made it difficult to see probably straight on. He tried to blink the image away, but every blink only seemed to strengthen its effect.

Oh shit, his screen. It was still glowing. He quickly pressed the side button to put it to sleep, but instead of going dark it seemed stuck open.

"Shit," Link swore in a frantic whisper, "Go off." He tried again but it failed once more.

Something bumped into the door. Link jumped in his seat. Having no other alternative, he pressed his phone against his chest, hoping to block as much light from it as he could. The device felt hot in his hands.

The door began to slid open. Link held his breath, wondering if he should take a dive behind his desk for protection. But his body felt frozen again. He couldn't move. He couldn't-

The light switched on, and Mr. Teba stood there, his expression a mixture of surprise and irritation. "... Mr. Link. What are you doing here at this time?"

Seeing the familiar face, despite knowing that he was probably in trouble now, Link let out a sigh of relief. "Oh... Hi, Mr. Teba."

"Teba will do after school hours," Teba told him, folding his arms across his chest. "I saw a light and came to investigate."

"Sorry... Teba," Link corrected. Sheepishly, he held up his phone. The screen still displayed his messages. "I just wanted to use the school's internet..."

His teacher looked at the phone, and the features in his face softened. "Ah. Missing home, I see."

When Link gave a nod, Teba pressed his lips together. Link couldn't tell if Teba was disappointed in him or worried for him. "I don't mind you using the internet here, but I don't approve of your choice of timing. It's far too late and there is school tomorrow. You really shouldn't be wandering around here at night anyways; it can be dangerous to go alone."

Dangerous?

"Come along, I will walk you home."

"Um... Ok," Link said slowly, standing up from his desk. He tried one more time to turn off his phone. This time, the screen went black. He pocketed his phone and briskly walked out of the room, his cheeks red. Teba did one last look-see before turning the light off and shutting the door.

They were bathed only in the moon's light now, but not for long. Once satisfied that the door was properly shut, Teba pulled out a flashlight and clicked it on. A red light illuminated from its bulb. It wasn't very strong, but it still made the path clear. Teba tapped the black metal.

"Red light. Allows you to see better in the dark. Your eyes take about forty-five minutes to adjust fully to darkness after bright lights, but using a bulb like this can prevent that."

Link gave another nod to show that he understood what Teba was saying. The pair began to walk along the dirt path towards the major road. Although barely anyone owned a car, they walked on the side of the asphalt, just in case. There was only silence between them for a while. Teba was kind of a serious man; when he didn't have anything to say he didn't fill the void with chatter.

It was about two minutes into the walk, though, when Link felt the need to apologize once more. "Sorry. I wish I didn't have to use the school's wifi."

"But no one else seems to have it themselves," Teba finished, letting out a small hum. "It's a small town. Most people don't even know others outside of it, and are quite content with this fact. They rely on word of mouth. Why have phone lines when you can just walk two minutes to your neighbor's home? Honestly, we wouldn't even have wifi at all if I hadn't made a stink about it."

Teba caught Link looking up at him in surprise. "Yeah, I know. It's kind of crazy how people can live in a modern age like that. No access to the outside world, except by one, lonely train. Apparently, there was supposed to be some major infrastructure renovation. All paved roads, at least one to the nearest highway. But people felt protective of their haven and the project got dropped. I guess more foot traffic scared them."

"But... I moved here," Link noted softly. "It's not impossible."

"No... it's not," Teba agreed. He stopped and faced his student. "Listen, Link, just promise me that after tonight, you will not wander around after dark. People are friendly, but some can be... particular. I don't want you getting into any trouble. Understand?"

This caught Link off guard. All this talk of 'dangerous' and 'particular' made his stomach knot. And he could tell Teba wasn't kidding. The look he was giving Link couldn't be any more serious even if he tried. What sort of trouble were they talking about? What sort of danger? Wild animals? They were certainly out in the woods far enough for things like bears and coyotes to wander about, although he had yet to see one.

His silence made Teba ask again. "Link, promise me?"

"Ah. Yes."

"Good." They had started to walk through the main part of the village now. Everything was pretty much closed now; people were early sleepers here. No one else was walking around at all. Link would have assumed that everyone was at home, if it was not for the one light that flickered from one of the storefront's windows. As they passed it by, Link recognized the place as the restaurant that he and the other teenagers had eaten at earlier. The blue and white tiled floor and walls looked sterilized in the white, florescent light. There was no food on the counter, but the place was full of people. They all seemed pretty occupied with each other, chatting away in delight.

Link was going to stop and give the place a stare. Was there a party going on inside? But he wasn't given the opportunity as Teba grabbed his arm and pulled him along. "No dilly-dallying," Teba told him. "It's late and I want to get to bed soon." Link did as he was told; he had no desire to get into any more trouble tonight. But that didn't stop him from looking over his shoulder for one last peek.

The discussion had stopped inside. Everyone was looking outside. At him.

Unsettled, Link snapped his head back around. A shiver ran down his spine.

For the final five minutes of the walk, neither Teba or Link said anything. Link kept his eyes glued on the gentle swaying of the red beam from Teba's flashlight on the ground all the way to the front of his house. He stopped when Teba stopped. "Off you go then, take a shower and hit the hay," his teacher commanded, using the light to indicate towards Link's from door.

But Link hesitated. His head spun with questions. He was confused. He couldn't put his finger on it, but ever since yesterday everything has felt... wrong. He wasn't sure in what way, and he wasn't sure how to articulate this feeling. He glanced at his teacher. Teba was looking at him expectantly. Of course he was. He wanted to go home. However...

He just had to ask. "Teba? Can I just ask... What beliefs do people have around here?"

"Beliefs?"

"Yes." Link rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed now. "No, it's ridiculous. There was just some guy yesterday who went on and on about a demon. I don't know, I guess he got in my head."

At first, Teba didn't say anything. He just watched Link with an unreadable expression. When the quiet began to get uncomfortable, Teba finally said, "I would just stay inside, Link, at night." Teba gave a small wave, then began his walk home.

Leaving Link standing there, baffled. What the hell was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, thank you for those who gave me kudos! Glad to see that people are actually reading my story. 
> 
> I know it's not the usual stuff people come to read regarding fanfiction. But hey, I'm glad you are here! 
> 
> This chapter was out a bit early. Look forward to Chapter 3: Milestone, coming out in a week.


	3. Milestone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And after a moment of silence, she let out a short, hollow laugh at made Link's skin crawl. "Well well well!" she said slowly, with a raspy voice. "If it isn't Link? I had heard you finally came to town."
> 
> Glossary: Furin- a Japanese wind chime.

Six-thirty in the morning rolled around, and there was a knock on the door. Link opened his eyes groggily. Wrapped like a warm burrito in his soft blanket, he didn't feel like waking up. He wasn't sure what time he had finally fallen asleep last night, but it was extremely late. Teba's unsettling warning had kept Link up longer than he should have. Every snapping branch and gust of wind had made Link on edge almost all night.

He tried to open his eyes further but they refused. Only sleep was on his mind. Despite waking early for school every day so far, Link has never been a morning person. His eyes slowly fell shut again. The knock must have just been a drea-

Another rap on the door. Groaning, Link turned over to check the time. 6:30 AM. He must have silenced his alarm when it went off, because he should have been up and showered by now. Link placed his phone back on the nightstand and let his arm fall over the side of the bed. He sighed. Guess he should get up and go see who was at the door.

He laid there briefly before pushing himself up off the mattress. He dragged his legs over the bed's edge and sat there, hunched over. His hands rubbed his face and eyes slowly, fighting the urge to just nap in that position. When someone knocked again, Link finally stood up and wandered down the steps slowly. He used the wall to support himself, still not fully awake yet.

When he pulled the door open, his head flinched back as the bright morning sunlight hit his face. Urg, so bright. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, and saw that it was Sidon who was standing there. Sidon began to smile with relief upon seeing Link, followed by a sheepish look. "Good morning, my friend. I'm sorry to be here so early, but yesterday's events have kept me antsy all morning."

Link's tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes. "... What?" he asked slowly. His voice was raspy. What did Sidon say?

Sidon smiled apologetically. Urg, now there were two bright things blinding Link. "I didn't mean to wake you. I couldn't wait any longer, though. I just had to talk to you about my behavior yesterday."

Registering what Sidon was saying now, Link faltered. "Oh... Don't worry about it. I was asking inappropriate questions."

"Not at all!" exclaimed Sidon. "All of your questions were justified and reasonable. I was the one who behaved poorly. And for that, I am sorry."

Link rubbed his right eye with the sleeve of his PJs as he watched Sidon with his left. Poor guy must have been worried about it all night if he came here early to apologize. Despite his tall stature, Sidon looked sort of small right now. It was not like Sidon to display vulnerability, so Link couldn't help but sympathize with his friend.

"...It's ok, Sidon," Link told him. He made sure to give a smile. "There is no problem."

It appeared as though a huge weight was lifted of Sidon's shoulders. Yesterday Link had been quite upset, but seeing how his friend was now, forgiveness came quickly. Since he was here and Link still had to get ready, he decided to invite him inside. He held the door open wider. "Why don't you come in? I'll finish getting ready and we can go to school."

Sidon obliged. As he sat at Link's small kitchen table, Link prepared for the day. There was no time for a shower now, but he would survive. He threw two pieces of bread into the toaster, then drank a glass of water to clear his throat. As the bread heated, Link ran back upstairs to change. Sidon glanced around the small home, a grin tugging at his lips. When Link returned, the tall boy started speaking again.

"I know there isn't a lot that we talked about regarding last time. I'm sure your head is spinning with questions," he said. "I want to explain things, my friend."

Listening closely, Link gave a nod. The toaster made a small 'ding' as the pieces of brown toast popped out. Link popped one in his mouth and handed the other to Sidon.

Appreciating the gesture, Sidon thanked him. He took a small bite before continuing, "The best place to start is the culture around here. Kakariko Village is... small. Only 216 people. 217," he corrected. "So people really hold onto their traditions and beliefs."

"You asked about the temple and the religion here. The locals believe in three great goddesses, but there are other spirits and creatures in the lore as well." Sidon glanced at Link. "Like that demon you've heard about."

Link said nothing.

Taking as a sign to keep talking, Sidon explained further. "There is a story that there is a demon that lives among the townspeople. Since almost everyone here is a believer, most of them also believe in this demon." Sidon gave a sigh. "I didn't want to say anything before because I didn't want you to think we were all crazy. I wanted you to live here without worrying about this fairytale. But now I'm thinking you should have heard it from me first. That way, when you eventually learned about it, you could have been prepared." He nibbled at the crust of his toast. "I had been foolish."

Suddenly, listening to Sidon's tale, everything made sense. Teba's warning about people being particular was a warning about their superstition. The old man must be one of the believers. It all clicked and Link instantly felt a lot better. Looking back on the past few days, Link never really believed in the demon, but everyone's behaviors had really spooked him. He was relaxed now. Now it was Link's turn to feel foolish. How he had let his imagination get the best of him. Ridiculous.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“… For what, my friend?”

“For telling me. I was confused, but now it makes sense. So, thank you.” Of course, there were still some more questions to be had, but Link was just so happy to have some explanation that he would not ask them just yet.

Sidon smiled happily, then peered at his watch. "How time flies. We better get going or else we will be late for class."

They found themselves on their way to Friday class. As usual, the morning was littered with people doing their typical daily chores. And as usual, they all greeted the pair with enthusiasm. Link didn’t feel that spookiness that he had felt the night before from the villagers. In the daylight, they all seemed normal and friendly. Their eyes didn’t follow them and they didn’t seem suspicious. They waved briefly with large smiles, then returned to their sweeping or plant watering. Link was reminded by how simple life could be. Perhaps it was the weight off his mind that allowed him to see this. Last night, he had felt alone. Today, he felt like he was finally becoming a part of the town. He could thank Sidon for this. He really bore no ill will towards Sidon’s actions last night. It sounded like his friend was trying to look out for him, and Link could not fault him for that.

He took a deep inhale. The cool, crisp air seemed to clear his mind further.

Sidon was back to his normal self and chatted one-sidedly with Link the entire way to school. When they slid open the wooden door, they were greeted by the sight of Riju and Yunobo. It would seem that they arrived early today. Like she did every day, Riju had her feet up on the desk, but upon seeing her classmates enter she shifted to sit properly. Yunobo’s face suddenly took on a nervous expression as Riju opened her mouth. It looked like she had something to say.

But Sidon beat her to the punch. He held up a hand. “No need, Riju. I already told him.”

Her eyes shifted between the two of them. Seeing that she was suspicious, Link nodded to confirm Sidon’s words but even this failed to convince her. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. “… Everything?”

“Everything.” When a sustained silence fell between them, Sidon gave a sheepish grin. “I mean it.”

“And… you’re ok with it?” Riju asked Link, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow. Link gave another nod.

Relief seemed to wash over Riju. Her shoulders notably relaxed as she let out a deep sigh. "Well, you seem to be at peace with the news. I must say that I am surprised."

"Erm..." Link gave a slight shrug. Why would he not be ok with the village’s beliefs? "Of course."

Yunobo scratched at the back of hand, as if it was some nervous tick. "I didn't realize that you didn't know, so I was really scared of how you would react. Riju was too."

The young girl snapped around. "I was not! I was just... calmly lecturing Sidon yesterday about keeping secrets from your friends."

'Calmly' was probably not the proper term to use based on Riju's facial expressions yesterday, but Link's heart skipped a beat at being called a friend. Sidon has been calling him a friend for some time now, but to hear it out of Riju's mouth made the sentiment feel real. Link couldn't help but smile a bit at the thought.

"And I've already apologized for my actions," said Sidon. "I made a poor decision. I thought it was too overwhelming for a newcomer to process. Link has been through much already."

“Oh yeah, it must be hard to move to a new place full of strangers,” piped up Yunobo. “I couldn’t imagine. I’ve only lived here.”

“So has all of us,” Riju mumbled, as if she was in thought. “Well, then you are forgiven, Sidon. At least he knows now, and there is no harm.”

Before Link could raise an eyebrow, Teba walked into the room holding a stack of papers. Ah yes, it was time for class to start. Everyone quickly took their seats before their teacher had to say anything.

***

The sun hung low on the horizon as Sidon and Link strolled down the main street peacefully. The constant yet enjoyable ramblings from his friend made up most of the conversation between them but as usual Link did not mind. There was a relaxing feeling in the air; Link contributed it to their talk this morning. Now that Sidon was not keeping a secret from him anymore, it felt as if the bond between them had gotten stronger. Perhaps it was also the exhilarating around of D&D they had all played today. The group had discovered a hidden cavern and began to explore, only to come across a horde of some monsters called Moblins. It looks like it was going to be a tough fight tomorrow.

Crickets sang their evening song. Dragonflies flew about, having left their lake home nearby. The street was still somewhat busy with people and as usual they all waved with joyous smiles as the boys passed by. Link's skin did not prickle at the gestures. He waved back.

As they walked by the general store, Link came to a gentle halt. He stared through the glass windows at the rows of food and goods that were jammed-packed into that little building. The large, busty woman who owned and ran the store was absorbed in a book, only glancing up when a customer approached the counter. The door was wide open to let the cool, calming air inside, and a furin jingled in the breeze.

Seeing the blond boy stop, Sidon had to trek back a few steps. He peered inside as well, knowing exactly why Link paused here. "It's probably still not here."

Link knew this well, but after last night he was more determined to have wifi more than ever. He didn't want something to happen while it was still dark out; what if he needed to look something important up? He didn't want to risk sneaking out to the school house again.

His friend's silence spoke volumes to Sidon. With a large grin, he patted Link's shoulder. "Well, we are here, friend, so might as well check!" Gripping both of Link's shoulders, he marched the both of them inside. The tapping of their shoes on the dirty tile floor did nothing to keep the shopkeeper from her book, but clearly Sidon was used to this behavior. "Go ahead and ask about that router of yours. Meanwhile, I'm going to pick out some sodas for us." His smile practically sparkled. He shot Link a quick thumbs up before turning on his heel and heading to the back where the fridges hummed.

There was no one else in the store. Unlike most of the stores back in the city, or even here in town, there was no music playing overhead. Instead, the woman seemed content just listening to the sound of her small, rotating fan that ran on her counter, and to the wildlife outside. As Link approached her she turned a page briefly, before her eyes fluttered upwards over the top of her book. She stared intensely at Link, as if she was not happy to be interrupted. Link could see Dune written in large, bold letters on the cover. He didn't completely blame her; it was a good book.

".... Link." She snapped the book shut with one hand and laid it on the counter. Her sour expression was gone, replaced with a welcoming half-smile. "My word, I have barely seen you in here. Have you finally run out of food in your little home?"

"No, no, nothing like that." Although he would soon. The food he had been supplied with upon arrival was starting to run low. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering about my order?"

The woman blinked slowly, then she snapped her fingers. "Oh! I had nearly forgotten about your order." She let out a small chuckle. "Don't you worry, son, the router will be here. But I told you it was going to take a few weeks. It has only been seven days."

"Ah." Link's gaze fell downward. "Right...."

Looking sympathetic, the shopkeeper reached out and patted his wrist. "But I will let you know as soon as it comes in. I will stand by the doorway until you pass by and immediately hand it off to you, ok? Don't you worry your pretty little head. Just have patience! Everything moves slowly in a small village like Kakariko."

All Link felt like doing was giving a nod that he heard her. Even though he was disappointed, he knew he should be. They had said before that it was going to take some time, but he had let his hopes get the best of him. But he knew this was going to be like watching a pot boil; the longer he focused on waiting, the longer the waiting was going to feel. He held in a sigh just as Sidon approached the counter holding two cold glasses of Coke.

"The two drinks, Sidon?" asked the woman, punching in the purchase into the cash register. "That will be two forty five, my dear."

Sidon forked over the cashed, then pressed the soda into Link's hands. "No luck, my friend?"

Link took the soda, twisted off the top, and took a sip. The sweet liquid felt good against his throat. He shook his head as the woman answered for him. "I'm afraid not. It's still going to take a few weeks," said the shopkeeper. She picked up her book again and began to leaf through the pages to find her place. "Now you boys run along! Go be young while you can!"

They thanked her and took their leave. Standing outside the store now, Link felt like he lost a little bit of energy. He knew it was ridiculous to be upset over something that was not a necessity to life, but it was a privilege that he had enjoyed and misses. And although he felt more comfortable today than he did yesterday with his new friends, his thoughts still lingered on the ones he left behind.

A tap on his shoulder snapped him back into reality. "Why don't we sit down and enjoy our drinks over there?" Sidon asked him, pointing to a small metal table with two chairs across the street. "We still have some time before we need to go home, so let's relish it while we can."

Agreeing to the proposition, the pair soon found themselves seated. The metal was cold and uncomfortable, but Link didn't mind. He took another sip of his soda, letting the sweetness comfort him. Food and treats were always good for the soul, especially after disappointing news.

Leaning back in his chair, Link looked up at the sky. It was a burning orange color with clouds that appeared pink, a reminder that night was coming. It was truly beautiful. It was rare to get such a good view of the sky in the city like this, but out here the villagers experience it nearly every day. In a way, Link understood why no one wanted the internet. It distracted them from the beauty they live in. Why watch a video when you could watch the dragonflies fly by?

He must look spoiled to them, with his constant need to use his phone for everything and desire to connect to the wifi. He wouldn't blame them if they thought he was. After all, he was acting a bit spoiled, and here was Sidon, doing everything in his power to cheer him up. Link glanced towards his friend out of the corner of his eye. Sidon looked at peace, also looking up at the sky.

Link let out a small, inaudible sigh. Life was good here. He should not ruin it with obsessing over something as trivial as wifi. He should be embracing this new way of life. How ridiculous he has been for the past few days.

A group of people pacing suddenly caught his attention, and Link lowered his head to watch them go by. It was more people like yesterday, preparing for the upcoming festival. More wooden planks and colorful fabrics and papers were being hauled up the street. Everyone seemed pretty excited and were chatting it up with each other loudly. They must really be looking forward to that festival.

"They better hurry up," said Link, breaking the silence between him and Sidon, "or else they will run out of sunlight to work."

"Ah, true," Sidon responded. He leaned his elbow against the tabletop and pressed his cheek into his palm to rest his head. "They probably won't get any work done tonight, though. My guess is that they are taking the stuff up to the temple for tomorrow."

That would make sense. Link's thoughts wondered back to what Sidon had said earlier, about the people's beliefs in some demon that lives in town. Now that he has really thought about it, no one else has talked about a demon, except for the crazy old man. Do most of the villagers really believe in some monster living among them? It was sort of odd for Link to think about, but he didn't condemn them for their beliefs. It may be odd to him, but that didn't make these people bad or even stupid. Although he couldn't get a read on Riju or Yunobo's personal feelings on the matter, he knew Sidon didn't believe. In a way, that thought was comforting.

It was in this moment when a strange person suddenly caught Link's eye. It was an elderly woman that Link had never seen before. She was so old, so bent over with age, that Link wondered how she was able to walk at all. But there she was, shuffling by them with her hands clasped behind her back and her wispy white hair pulled into a bun.

But it was not her age that made Link stare. It was everything else. While the rest of the townsfolk wore modern clothes, this woman wore something that Link could only describe as something akin to a gi, although an off-white color with reds and blues. Her bamboo sandals slapped against the pavement as she meandered. Link had never seen such clothes before.

And yet, the most noticeable thing about her was the tattoo on her forehead. It was of a large, red eye, with what appeared to be a tear coming down between her eyes. It was striking and unusual, and Link could not keep his eyes off of it. It, in turn, seemed to stare back at him.

Unblinking.

The woman wobbled by, somehow balancing herself by keeping her hands firmly clasped behind her back. Link was unsure if he should offer help or leave her be (some elders did not appreciate help), she turned her head to get a good look at the boys. Upon recognizing Link, she came to a halt. She swayed in place back and forth, a bit unsteady. Link set his soda down, prepared to jump forward in case she fell.

But she didn't. And after a moment of silence, she let out a short, hollow laugh at made Link's skin crawl. "Well well well!" she said slowly, with a raspy voice. "If it isn't Link? I had heard you finally came to town."

Her words sounded odd. The way she said them, it was if he had been expected. "Um...." Link gave her a weak smile. "Finally, miss?"

"Aye. We've been waiting for you. Took your time, didn'tcha?" laughed the woman. She calmed herself and took in a deep breath. "Well, you better get a move on it. Before something bad happens."

Link quickly snapped his head to look at Sidon. What on earth was she talking about? Sidon did not look happy. He too set his drink down and folded his arms, his yellow eyes locked onto the woman with a contempt Link has never seen on Sidon's face before.

However, it cleared quickly and Sidon smiled brightly. "What a pleasure to see you out and about! How are you feeling today?" he asked her. He sounded genuine, so Link was left wondering if he just imagined Sidon's expression.

The woman hobbled to her left so she could see Sidon. "Oh my, how big you have gotten! Has it been that long?"

"No, I'm afraid it hasn't," replied Sidon. His fingers dug slightly into his arms, but he kept the smile on his face. "It's only been a few weeks."

"Ah. My mind must be going," the woman then winked at Link. "Old age is so unforgiving!"

The boys let her chuckle again, clearly amused by her own little jokes. Link was unsure if he should laugh with her, or just smile politely. This woman was really making him uncomfortable. Something was really off about her.

The reason came quickly as she spoke again. "The demon will be coming soon. I can feel it in my bones."

Silence. Link was taken back a bit. Sidon had said there were believers of the demon in town, but to hear about it so suddenly again... It was unnerving. Of course, Link didn't believe in such legends, but the old lady said it with such conviction that for a moment Link wondered if it could be true. This feeling quickly passed, but it made Link's nerves burn with fear for a moment.

The elder suddenly narrowed her eyes. She looked between the two boys before landing on Sidon. "The demon doesn't like being called a fairy tale, little Sidon. Were you not raised properly to believe in our ways? Perhaps I should have a talk with your father."

How did... Sidon's eyes when wide slightly and his smile faltered. The woman's words had struck some cord, although Link wasn't sure which words. ".... My father raised me fine, thank you. He is an excellent caretaker and does not need a lecture."

"Hmph. Well, young man.... be careful. You're words and recent.... actions have angered the demon. And we all know what an angry demon does," said the elder cryptically. She then gave Link a low bow before she began to meander up the street, her hands still clasped behind her back.

Both Link and Sidon were frozen in place. Link was not sure what had just happened. Questions raced in his head. Who was she? What was she talking about? Why did Sidon look so angry? Now Link could see why Sidon did not want to talk about the demon before; this belief in a monster made the villagers look insane. As the woman shuffled farther away, Link turned to his friend.

"... Are you ok?"

It took Sidon a few seconds to respond, and when he did he was smiling. "Of course!"

Link did not believe him, but he didn't pressure him either. There were some things Link was sure Sidon wasn't ready to share with him yet, although Link wanted to know. "Who was that?"

"The woman?" Sidon asked. He picked up his soda and took a sip before he answered. "Just a member of the Sheikah."

"The... Sheikah?"

"Oh, no one has told you?" asked Sidon, tilting his head to one side in surprise. "They are the keepers of Kakariko's traditions and legends. They maintain the temple, make sure our traditions are kept alive throughout generations, and so on."

"They seem... tough."

"... Yes. They are strict about keeping the ways of the village. It is thanks to their hard work and dedication that this village still exists today."

And probably the reason why nearly everyone in town seemed to believe in some mysterious demon. Link cleared his throat, a bit nervous to bring up what he wanted to say next. "So... you've angered the demon?"

"Hm?" Sidon looked confused for a moment. Then he chuckled. "Of course not, my friend! There is no demon to anger. Just fairy tales, after all. But it's common knowledge that I am not a firm believer of such superstitions, and I do not think the Sheikah like that. I think they still try to scare me into believing, like one would a child."

Still? It suddenly occurred to Link that despite all the talking he and Sidon had done earlier that day, Link still did not know much about his friend or his own life here. Clearly, there was still much to learn.

"Sidon..."

"Yes, my friend?"

Link was going to ask about Sidon's history. He had just realized about how little he knew about Sidon. For all his talking, Sidon rarely spoke of himself. Why did the woman make Sidon uncomfortable? What did she say that angered him? What bad thing was going to happen that she was talking about? There were so many questions that Link wanted to ask him. They were on the tip of his tongue.

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't ask such probing questions. After all, he and Sidon have only been friends for a week. He should not be expecting to know all of Sidon's dirty secrets by now. No, he wanted Sidon to open up to him naturally. He wanted Sidon to WANT to tell him. So instead, Link glanced up towards the mountain where the temple stood, hidden behind the turning leaves.

"Let's check out the temple after school tomorrow."

Sidon looked in the temple's direction in surprise. "The temple? But it is closed to the public."

"I know, but... maybe I could peek at it. I want to know more about this town. It is my home too."

His friend looked in deep thought as he considered it. Link watched as Sidon's finger tapped the glass of the Coke slowly; his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. Link waited patiently, not wanting to rush his answer. Finally, Sidon gave a firm nod.

"Alright, let's do it! We shall sneak onto the temple grounds tomorrow." He shot Link an excited grin. "It will be fun. An adventure, just you and me!"

Link was glad to hear that Sidon would take him to the temple. He had worried for a brief moment that Sidon would say no. But his friend looked just as pleased with the idea as Link felt. And Link could learn a little more about Kakariko. Maybe it will make the crazy make a little more sense too.

After their drinks were done and the glass recycled, Sidon walked Link home. The sun was getting very low in the sky, and people were beginning to rush home. Link knew why now; they feared the demon. The demon that apparently stalked the night, looking for prey. If he believed in such things, Link would be rushing home too.

At his front door, before Link could go inside, Sidon patted his shoulder to get his attention. "Um... Well, I was thinking..." Link paused, his hand still on the doorknob, waiting for Sidon to say his piece. He wondered if it would be regarding the woman's words from earlier. Maybe Sidon will open up to him a little bit.

"Perhaps after the temple, you could come over to my place for dinner?" Sidon suddenly offered. He looked a bit nervous asking. "This way you could meet my father and see my home." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "As friends, you should also know where I live!"

Oh... Link wasn't sure if he should be happy or disappointed. On one hand, Sidon still didn't say a word about himself. On the other hand, to go over to a friend's house was a wonderful invitation. As of yet, no one has invited Link over for a get together, much less for dinner. And Link really wanted to get closer to Sidon, and to the others, of course. But Sidon was his best friend here, and if it took baby steps to become very close, then Link would take those baby steps. So he made sure he smiled in excited.

"I would love to."

"Really?" Sidon beamed. "That's wonderful. I will make sure my father knows. He would be very happy to meet you, my friend!"

"Haha, I look forward to it." Link opened the door to his home and gave Sidon a small wave. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Good night!" Sidon exclaimed, returning the wave vigorously. He did not let up until the door closed completely behind Link. He let his arm fall to his side; his face stern and serious. He stared at the wooden door briefly, before he turned on his heel to walk back into town.

Inside his home, Link felt relief to have some time to himself. All that talk of demon and legends had worn him out. His eyes shifted over to the drawers by the staircase. Speaking of demons.... Link walked over to the drawers and opened the top one, where he had stored the pocket knife the crazy old man had given him. The momentum of the opening wood caused the knife to slide down to the front and back against the side. The noise echoed in the room faintly.

Daring to pick it up, Link lifted the blade up and inspected it closely. The handle was worn and faded of its original purple and blue colors. Some of the plastic was cracked from age, but it still felt solid in his hand. Carefully, he flipped it open. With a snap, the metal blade popped out. This part had been well cared for; the edge was shiny and sharp. Link dared not test it with his finger. Instead, he closed the weapon back up and gave it one more look. There were no other determining features, except for a small 'B' etched into the handle. Is this a weapon the people believed could kill a demon? The blade was long enough to perhaps kill a human, but there was no way this could kill a supernatural being. Ridiculous. Link placed the blade back into the drawer and closed it up quickly.

The rest of the night was normal. Although the woman's words earlier were spooky, Link's mind was more focused on hanging out with Sidon tomorrow. He was looking forward to going over to Sidon's home, and it was only polite to prepare a small gift for his hosts. So while a stew brewed on the stove, Link made sure to prepare a dozen simple chocolate chip cookies to bring over to Sidon's. His friends back home would have made fun of him for making such a 'girly' gift, but Link felt that Sidon would appreciate the gesture. It would make for a great dessert after dinner, too.

When the meal was eaten and the cookies wrapped up, Link finished washing the dishes, took a shower, and jumped into bed. He stared up at the ceiling, a small smile on his face.

This village was strange, to be sure. A lot of strange beliefs and strange people. Yesterday, Link couldn't get a wink of sleep. Tonight, he was comfortable and confident. Now that everything made sense, there was no reason to worry about some demon strolling into his home during the night. And he felt that he was making progress with his new friends. Especially Sidon. He pulled out his phone to look at the time and the connection. 11:57 PM. No connection. But he wasn't bothered by this. He didn't feel the need to message his old friends at the moment. He would talk to them again eventually. But for now, Link could sleep peacefully.

And that is what he did. Making sure he pulled in his phone to charge, Link rolled over on his side and closed his eyes.

Sleep came quickly.

***

Sidon walked alone down main street and was just turning onto the dirt road that led his house. He knew he was coming home late, so his father was probably asleep. He glanced as his watch to confirm the time. Yup, 12:03. It’s literally morning now. He didn’t mean to stay out this late, but he had gotten so lost in thought that he lost track of time.

Today had been a whirlwind of problems. He had hoped that Link would never learn the truth about the town. He had let himself act strange in front of Link, and that had backfired. Now that Link knew most of the truth, hopefully things between them would get better.

He wanted them to get better. He liked Link. He didn’t want Link caught up in any mumbo jumbo about demons and evil. After all, none of it could be true. It was just legends. No… it was just myths. Made up stories so kids wouldn’t wander around at night. That was why he didn’t tell Link the full truth. He felt horrible about lying to him, but it was better this way.

But tomorrow would be his chance. They would be in the privacy of his home, so they could have a good one-on-one discussion about many things… Hopefully, some of them good.

He was about halfway down the path when he saw a soft, red glow. He stopped in his tracks. That was odd; normally, no one would be out this late at all. He looked to see if who was standing there. He could see a lanky figure in the darkness. They were shrouded in the shadows, so he couldn’t see their face.  “Who’s there?”

The figure didn’t say anything. It just stood there, heaving. Sidon could see its shoulders go up and down. Something was wrong, and Sidon didn’t like it. He took a step back. “If this is a prank, it isn’t a very good one. I’m tired and not in the mood.”

No answer.

Sidon couldn’t help but feel spooked. Mystery and silence would creep out even the strongest. Even the red light was starting to mess with him. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought it was a red, glowing eye. Then, the person slightly stepped forward, and Sidon could see something shine in the soft moonlight. It looked like… claws.

Sidon’s blood ran cold. He took another step back, his muscles tense. “Haha, knock it off. OK, you got me. I believe in demons,” he said with sarcasm, refusing to relent. “Is this what this is all about? Really? Would anyone in town go so far?

That was when the figure suddenly charged at him.

His adrenaline spiked instantly and instinct kicked in. Sidon dropped everything he had and took a swing at the creature, determined to knock out whoever it was and drag them to the police. As if he was going to let anyone overpower him just to convince him of a demon!

He had expected his fist to made contact with flesh. Instead, he missed entirely. Whoever, or whatever, it was seemed to move with unnatural speed, and his miss will instantly be punished as Sidon felt something sharp get pulled across chest. He let out a cry in anguish, and suddenly true fear set in. It… it wanted to kill him! He hadn’t realized he was in a fight for his life, and he couldn’t believe that he was being attacked.

There was a growl. A deep, unnerving growl that made Sidon’s entire body freeze in terror. It… it didn’t sound human. No, there was no way…. He didn’t get a chance to process what was happening to him as those gnarly claws suddenly tore through his abdomen.

He gasped as he dropped to the ground. His head smacked against the pavement, and he felt weak and in terrible pain. He was still alive as he bled out in the road, staring up at the monster who decided to kill him. The creature looked down on him, regarding him carefully, before continuing its assault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late chapter. I had gotten sick.
> 
> Oh my goodness, it hurt to kill Sidon! It hurt me more than it hurt you, probably. But I hope this didn't turn you off, and that you can enjoy Chapter 4: Bloodstone, coming out sometime next week. 
> 
> And thank you to those who took the time to give me kudos. I appreciated it! Gives me the courage to keep writing, even if I pissed people off with this chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1: Cornerstone.
> 
> For a bit of a heads up, this IS an AU. So, some liberties with characters will be taken, but I will try to remain as true to their personalities as I can. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this mystery story.
> 
> I will warn you now, but don't worry... I'll warn you again. Do NOT continue reading if you are squeamish. I mean it. If you are even a little sensitive to certain things, I would not recommend this story. 
> 
> For anyone on Fanfiction, this is from my FF account. I just decided to try to utilize this account more. 
> 
> Critique is welcomed. I want to improve myself as a writer. I have certain tendencies I'm trying to break. For those who decide to do so, I should note that I'm dyslexic. When I edit, I can miss.... stupid stuff. I'm not saying IGNORE or excuse the stupid mistakes, just sort of understand. 
> 
> Next chapter, Stonewalled, will be out in a week. I hope you look forward to the next installment.
> 
> ~Evil Critic


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